LATER IS BETTER FOR DODGERS, WHO STAY ALIVE DODGERS 6, SAN DIEGO 5.

Byline: Brian Dohn Staff Writer

The Dodgers have been hoping San Francisco will have to play a Monday makeup game in Atlanta, and that remains a distant possibility. Three more victories from the Dodgers are likely necessary to make that happen; two losses from the Giants are a must.

A long shot, no doubt? A possibility, though? Well, right now it's difficult to argue with the Dodgers about anything.

Brian Jordan and Marquis Grissom, known as Frick and Frack during this Dodgers' playoff chase, did it again in rallying the Dodgers from a one-run deficit in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the San Diego Padres 6-5 Thursday at Dodger Stadium to remain in the National League wild-card hunt.

Grissom homered with two outs in the bottom of the eighth off reliever Brian Lawrence to tie the score 5-5, and Brian Jordan added an infield single into the hole at shortstop later in the inning that allowed Paul Lo Duca to score the go-ahead run.

Jordan, who had three hits, has 27 RBI this month. It matches Mike Piazza for the third-highest September total in Los Angeles history.

Closer Eric Gagne recorded his 52nd save with a scoreless ninth inning and helped the Dodgers close to within 2 1/2 games of idle San Francisco in the wild-card race.

The Dodgers have three games remaining with the Padres and the Giants begin a three-game series today with the Houston Astros, who will pitch Wade Miller and Roy Oswalt in two of the games. If the Dodgers are within one-half game after Sunday's games are played, the Giants travel to Atlanta for a makeup game Monday.

Any combination of two victories by the Giants or two losses by the Dodgers eliminates L.A. from the playoffs.

The Dodgers have won four of their past five, and each of the victories have come in their last at-bat.

The Dodgers were put in that position Thursday by starter Hideo Nomo in the seventh inning. He walked Gene Kingsale to begin the inning, then committed a throwing error trying to pick him off. Kingsale wound up on third and scored on Ramon Vazquez's double to left-center to make it 4-4.

Mark Kotsay, who homered off Nomo in the first inning, sacrificed against reliever Jesse Orosco, and Ryan Klesko singled off the glove of Mark Grudzielanek at second base and into shallow right field to score Vazquez and put San Diego in front 5-4.

Of course, why shouldn't a comeback be possible for a second consecutive night? Nomo proved anything is possible in the sixth inning, when he homered - despite a .134 batting average (3 for 62) to break a 3-3 tie and send 29,613 into shock, then euphoria.

Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Dodgers rallied off Padres surprise starter Jake Peavy, who pitched on his normal rest when scheduled pitcher Brett Tomko was scratched with a sore neck.

Lo Duca began the inning with a walk and advanced to second on Jordan's one-out single. Eric Karros made it 2-1 with a single to left to score Lo Duca. Adrian Beltre grounded a ball into the hole at shortstop, which Vazquez bobbled and then knocked into shallow left field. The ever-hustling Jordan scored to tie it 2-2, diving into the plate well ahead of Vazquez's throw.

Grudzielanek capped the three-run inning and put the Dodgers ahead 3-2 with a ground-rule double, but the inning could have been so much more. But after Alex Cora was intentionally walked, Nomo struck out for the 32nd time in 62 at-bats.

A lead is usually golden for Nomo, but perhaps he showed signs of throwing 220 1/3 innings this season, the second most of his career and the highest total since 1996. After a two-out double to right by Sean Burroughs in the sixth inning, Brian Buchanan singled to center to knot it 3-3.

CAPTION(S):

photo, 2 boxes

Photo:

Hideo Nomo rounds third base and is congratulated by coach Glenn Hoffman after the pitcher hit a home run in the sixth inning Thursday.

Tina Burch/Staff Photographer

Box:

(1) STANDINGS

(2) NL WILD CARD RACE